He Tell vs. He Tells – Which is Correct?
Use he tells when “he” is the subject in the simple present tense: “He tells the truth.” Use he tell only after an auxiliary or modal verb, as in “Does he tell the truth?” or “He may tell us.” The correct choice depends on the verb structure surrounding “tell.”
He Tell or Tells – Which is Correct?
He tells is correct in an ordinary affirmative sentence because the third-person singular subject he requires the present-tense verb form tells. For example, “He tells funny stories.”
He tell is not correct as a standalone simple present statement. However, tell is correct after an auxiliary verb such as does or did, after a modal such as can, will, or might, and in certain other structures. Examples include “Does he tell the truth?” and “He can tell the difference.”
The Best Trick to Remember the Difference
Use the helper-verb test: if a helping verb appears before tell, use the base form tell. If there is no helping verb and he is performing the action in the simple present, add -s and use tells.
Compare these sentences:
- He tells the story every year. No helping verb appears, so use tells.
- Does he tell the story every year? The auxiliary does carries the tense, so use the base form tell.
- He will tell the story tomorrow. The modal will is followed by the base form tell.
| Word | Part of Speech | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| tell | Base-form verb | To communicate information or recognize something | Can he tell the difference? |
| tells | Third-person singular present verb | Communicates information or recognizes something | He tells the truth. |
How to Use Tell
Tell is the base form of the verb. Use it with the subjects I, you, we, and they in the simple present: “I tell,” “you tell,” “we tell,” and “they tell.” Use it with he, she, or it when a modal or auxiliary verb comes first.
The verb tell commonly means to give information, relate a story, instruct someone, or distinguish one thing from another. It can be followed by a person and information, as in “Tell me the answer,” or by a clause, as in “Tell me what happened.”
When communicating information requires clarity about its purpose, Describe vs. Explain offers a useful distinction.
Example 1: They tell their children a bedtime story every night.
Example 2: Can he tell whether the painting is authentic?
Example 3: Please tell me where the meeting will take place.
What are the different forms of tell?
Tell is an irregular verb. Its main forms are tell as the base form, tells as the third-person singular present form, told as both the simple past and past participle, and telling as the present participle or gerund.
| Verb Form | Example |
|---|---|
| Base form: tell | I tell the truth. |
| Third-person singular: tells | He tells the truth. |
| Simple past: told | She told us the news. |
| Past participle: told | They have told everyone. |
| Present participle: telling | He is telling a joke. |
Etymology of the word tell
Tell comes from Old English tellan, meaning “to relate,” “count,” or “reckon.” It is related to the idea of giving an account or reporting information. Over time, its meanings expanded to include narrating, informing, ordering, and recognizing or distinguishing something.
How to Use Tells
Tells is the third-person singular simple present form of tell. Use it when he, she, or it performs the action without a preceding auxiliary or modal verb. The ending -s marks subject-verb agreement in this structure.
Tells can introduce direct information, a story, an instruction, or a statement about what someone knows or can recognize. It is also used in expressions such as “That tells me something” and “His expression tells a different story.”
Example 1: He tells his coworkers everything.
Example 2: The sign tells visitors where to go.
Example 3: She tells a compelling story about her travels.
What are the different forms of tells?
Tells is not a separate verb with its own tense system; it is one form of the irregular verb tell. It is used only for the third-person singular subject in the simple present. Do not use tells after does, did, or a modal verb. Say “Does he tell?” and “He might tell,” not “Does he tells?” or “He might tells.”
Etymology of the word tells
Tells developed from the Old English verb tellan through the regular addition of the third-person singular -s ending in modern English. Although the verb is irregular in its past forms—told and told—its present third-person form is formed regularly as tells.
Related Concepts
Understanding subject-verb agreement and auxiliary verbs makes the difference between he tell and he tells much easier to identify.
- Subject-verb agreement: In the simple present tense, a singular third-person subject such as he usually takes a verb ending in -s. Therefore, we say “He tells,” “She walks,” and “It works.”
- Auxiliary verbs: Helping verbs such as does, did, and will affect the form of the main verb. After these words, use the base form: “Does he tell?” and “He will tell.”
- Modal verbs: Modal verbs including can, may, might, and should are followed by the base form of a verb. Say “He can tell,” not “He can tells.”
- Simple present tense: This tense describes habits, repeated actions, facts, and general situations. With he, she, or it, the main verb normally receives an -s ending when no auxiliary is present.
Examples from Media and Literature
The following examples show how the correct form appears in familiar kinds of titles, dialogue, and reporting:
- Children’s literature: In a story, a narrator might write, “He tells the villagers about the mysterious visitor.” Because he directly performs the present-tense action, tells is required.
- Film dialogue: A character might ask, “Does he tell you everything?” The auxiliary does carries the tense, so the correct form is the base verb tell.
- News reporting: A report might state, “The witness tells investigators what happened.” The singular subject the witness takes tells in the simple present.
- Drama: A character might say, “He will tell us the truth eventually.” The modal-like auxiliary will is followed by tell, not tells.
- Narrative prose: A writer might use, “His silence tells her that something is wrong.” The singular subject silence requires tells.
Practice Exercises
Choose the correct word to complete each sentence: tell or tells.
- He _____ a joke at every family gathering.
- Does he _____ the truth?
- She can _____ when someone is nervous.
- The clock _____ us that it is nearly midnight.
- He will _____ you everything tomorrow.
Answer Key
- tells — There is no auxiliary verb, and he requires the third-person singular form.
- tell — The auxiliary does is followed by the base verb.
- tell — The modal verb can is followed by the base verb.
- tells — The singular subject clock takes the third-person singular form.
- tell — The auxiliary will is followed by the base verb.
Tell Synonyms
| Synonym | Definition |
|---|---|
| Inform | To give someone facts or important information |
| Notify | To officially or formally give notice |
| Explain | To make an idea or situation clear |
| Narrate | To describe events as a story |
| Reveal | To make previously hidden information known |
Tells Synonyms
| Synonym | Definition |
|---|---|
| Informs | Gives someone facts or information |
| Reports | Provides an account of events or findings |
| Explains | Makes an idea or situation understandable |
| Reveals | Makes something previously unknown known |
| Narrates | Relates events in story form |
Frequently Asked Questions
Question 1: Is it “he tell” or “he tells”?
Use he tells in a simple present affirmative sentence, such as “He tells funny stories.” Use he tell after an auxiliary or modal verb, such as “Does he tell funny stories?” or “He may tell funny stories.”
Question 2: Why is “Does he tells?” incorrect?
The auxiliary does already marks the third-person singular present tense. The main verb must therefore return to its base form: “Does he tell?”
Question 3: Is “he tell” ever grammatically correct?
Yes. It is correct after words such as does, did, can, will, and should. Examples include “Did he tell you?” and “He should tell the manager.”
Conclusion
Use he tells when he directly performs an action in the simple present: “He tells the truth.” Use he tell after an auxiliary or modal verb: “Does he tell?” or “He can tell.” Pro Tip: In professional writing, check every third-person singular verb and every helping-verb construction; accurate subject-verb agreement strengthens your credibility.
